"Unfortunately I found out too late that I had merely taken the place of his mother." "Aha!" cried Mr. Kaplan, gIvIng his battle call again. "Maybe is de spalling wrong. But not de vay I'm usink 'antusiasm,' because"-he in- jected a trenchant quality into "his voice to let the class get the deepest meaning of his next remark-"because I write to mine brodder in Warsaw mit real an tusiasm ! " The implication was clear: Miss Mit- nick was one of those who, corrupted by the gay, gaudy, flattering whirl of the New World, let her brothers starve, indiffet:ently, overseas. Miss Mitnick bit her lip. Mr. Park- hill, trying to look judicious, cleared his throat. "Well," began Miss Mitnick yet a third time, shyly but firmly, "'ani- mated' is wrong. 'Your animated brother, Hymie'? Ðat's wrong." She looked at Mr. Parkhill with a plea that was poignant. She dared not look at Mr. Kaplan, whose smile had advanced to new dimensions. "Yes," said Mr. Parkhill. "'Ani- mated' is quite out of place in the final greeting." Mr. Kaplan sighed heavily. "1 looked op de void 'enimated' spacial," he s id. "It's meanink 'full of life,' no? Vell, I faIt planty full of life ven I vas rid ink de latter. So, netcheral, . . I put don 'your enimated brodder.'" Miss Mitnick dropped her eyes, the rout complete. "Well, Mr. Kaplan," said Mr. Park- hill, left to fight the good fight alone. "You may say 'She had an animated expression' or 'The music has an ani- mated refrain.' But one doesn't say 'animated' about one's self." The appeal to propriety proved suc- cessful. Mr. Kaplan realized that per- haps he had overreached himself with "Your animated brother." "Suppose we try another word," suggested Mr. Parkhill. "How about 'fond' ? 'Your fond brother, Hyman'?" (He couldn't quite essay "Hymie.") Mr. Kaplan half-closed his eyes, gazed in to space, and meditated on this f d o" ' F d ' ' f d '" pro oun questIon. on, on, he whispered to himself. He was like a man who had retreated in to a secret world, searching for his Muse. " 'Your fond brodder, Hymie.'" He shook his head. "Podden me," said Mr. Kap- lan apologetically. "It don't have de feelink." "What about 'dear'?" ventured Mr. Parkhill hastily. " 'Your dear brother,' an d so on?" Once more Mr. Kaplan went through the process of testing, judg- ment, and consultation with his evasive 41 Muse. "'Dear,' 'dear,' 'Your dear brodder, Hymie.' Also no," sighed Mr. K I " ' D ,. , " ap an. ear, It s too common. That, of course, ruled it out forever for a man with Mr. Kaplan's passion for individ uality. "What about-" "Ah!" cried Mr. Kaplan suddenly, as the Muse kissed him. His smile was as the sun. "I got him! Fine! Poifick! Soch a void! " The class, to whom Mr. Kaplan had communicated some of his own excite- ment, waited breathlessly. Mr. Park- hill himself, it might be said, was pos- sessed of a queer eagerness. . "Yes, Mr. Kaplan," said Mr. Park- hill quickly. "What word would you suggest? " " 'Magnificent'!" said Mr. Kaplan. Admiration and silence fell upon the class like a benediction. " 'Your mag- nificent brother, Hymie.'" It was a coup de maître, no less. As if in a trance, the beginners' grade of the American Night Preparatory School for Adults wait d for Mr. Park- hill's verdict. Finally Mr. Parkhill spoke, slow1y, sadly, aware that he was breaking a magic spell. "N-no, Mr. Kaplan," said Mr. Parkhill. "I'm afraid not. 'Mag- nificent' isn't really appropriate." T HE bell rang in the corridors of the American Night Preparatory School for Adults, as if it had withheld its signal until the last possible moment. The class moved into life and toward the door. Mr. Norman Bloom went out with Mr. Kaplan. Mr. Parkhill could hear the last words of their 'con- versation .. "Kaplan," said Mr. Bloom envious- ly, "ho'Zv you fond soch a beautiful void? " " ' M O fi ' , " fi ' " M agnI cent, magnI cent, r. Kaplan was murmuring to himself wist- fully. "A ch.1 Dat vas a beauriful void, ha, Bloom?" "Believe me!" said Mr. Bloom. "H O'ZV you fond soch a void?" "By dip tingink," said Mr. Kaplan. He strode out like a hero. And as Mr. Parkhill gathered up a few papers, alone in the classroom which only a moment before had wit- nessed the glories of that immortal night, he wondered whether he had not perhaps been too hasty in deny- ing Mr. Kaplan the use of "magnifi- cent." "Your magnificent brother, Hymie." Somehow, it rang true: Mr. K*A*P*L*A*N the MagnIficent. -LEONARD Q Ross